


I Like Me Better When I'm With You (Two)

by hollyjolly_yeontan



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bella Doesn't Take Any Shit, Bella Was Left With Charlie, Confident Bella, Edward acts like the teen he is, Established Relationship, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, M/M, Polyamory, Threesome - F/M/M, Twilight Reimagined
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-10-26 07:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17741618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollyjolly_yeontan/pseuds/hollyjolly_yeontan
Summary: au where Bella grew up in Forks and by the time the Cullens move to town she's already dating Jacob. The two of them always joked that they would gladly become a poly if they met someone hot enough, though, so first day of school when Bella sees Edward, Jacob gets a text that says, "HEY REMEMBER THAT YOU JOKE WELL GUESS WHAT BUDDY"





	I Like Me Better When I'm With You (Two)

**Author's Note:**

> this is an au straight from the mind of [this](https://breetannerprotectionsquad.tumblr.com) wonderful person. I have gotten permission to expand and create with this au and this is where I have taken this
> 
> any section that is originally from them begins and ends with underlines, the only differences will be editing to flow and grammar.
> 
> last note: this will switch between bella, edward, and jacob's pov

Jacob frowned as his phone vibrated loudly against the plastic seat. He didn't pause his note-taking, hoping that if he didn't react, it would somehow have kept the teacher from hearing.

"Phones in bags!" the teacher reminded, not even bothering to look away from the equation she was writing on the board.

Jacob sighed to himself before continuing to take notes. He cringed as his phone vibrated once more. The teacher stilled, turning around to cast a frown. It was a moment of hard glaring before she returned to writing on the board, a bit harder than before. The ink smeared slightly under the pressure of her hand. On either side of him, Embry and Quil snickered. He glared at both of them, taking his phone out of his back pocket, before bending over to unzip his book bag, which had been strewn haphazardly under his desk. In his hand, his phone buzzed once more, quieter this time without anything to vibrate against. The screen glowed, the name "Bells" followed by bell emojis written across it. Forks was even stricter than his school about phones. He wondered if it was an emergency, but Quil hissing his name had him quickly slipping his phone into his bag and sitting back up in time for his teacher to turn around and face them. Thoughts of Bella's texts were quickly dispelled as he was called upon to answer the equation. 

It wasn't until he was in line for lunch did he remember them. He felt guilty for forgetting for so long - what if there  _was_ an emergency? He quickly payed for his meal before rushing over to an empty table, leaving Quil and Embry calling after him. He put his tray down and dug through his bag until he found his phone. Once unlocked, he went into his messages, almost dropping it as he read what she sent.

           **| JAKE HOLY FUCKING SHIT**  
**| REMEMBER THAT POLY JOKE? WELL THAT MIGHT NOT BE A JOKE ANYMORE**

**| NEVER MIND HE HATES ME ABORT ABORT**

_What the fuck?_ Jacob thought to himself. Quil and Embry glared at him as they sat down at the same table. 

"Thanks for waiting, asshole," Embry snapped. Jacob didn't respond, waving a dismissive hand and just frowned at his phone. The other two exchanged glances. 

"Uhh, Earth to Jacob," Quil said and tossed a fry at his head. It fell onto the table. Jacob looked up at them, thick eyebrows still knitted together. "What's up, man?"

Jake ran a hand through his hair, causing it to fall out of its long braid and around his face. He shook his head before sighing. "Nothing. Bella's being weird is all," he said, before popping the table fry into his mouth. Embry made a face of disgust before commenting on the school's lake of cleanliness.

"I'm sure they clean the cafeteria, at least," said Quil. 

Embry looked at him incredulously. "I'll bet five dollars that Lehmann doesn't even know where the cafeteria is."

Lehmann was the school's janitor slash handyman. The school was big enough that more than one was probably necessary, but completely underfunded, so one was all they got. Quil and Embry began to argue over whether the cafeteria or the bathrooms would be cleaned more often, giving Jacob a chance to be sucked back into his phone. 

           **|**  What?

He pressed send before glancing at the time. Her next class ended in ten minutes after he started lunch. Five minutes pass, during which Seth came bounding up with a wide grin on his face. Jake distracted himself with Seth's stories about his lacrosse team try-out yesterday. He didn't want to tell him that freshmen never made the team, especially freshmen as small as he was. Instead he gave the younger one words of encouragement until his phone finally vibrated once more. 

           **| Jake do I smell bad??**

"What the fuck?" he said, this time under his breath. The conversation around him paused. 

"Jacob?" asked Seth. 

"Bella," is all he offered with another wave of his hand. Seth gave Quil and Embry a confused look before Quil explained that apparently Bella was being weird. The conversation again shifted back to Seth's lacrosse team chances. 

           **|** Uh no? Also what the hell are you talking about?

           **| I ended up sitting next to Edward Cullen during bio and he literally wasn't breathing so I guess I must smell bad.  
          | It's not my shampoo right?? I mean it's just strawberry scented. Maybe I should ask Jess for some perfume **

 **|** Don't ask Jess for perfume. Whatever she wears, I hate. Don't tell her I said that.   
           **|** Who is Edward Cullen?

           **| I'm pretty sure she wears some perfume from Victoria's Secret. And Edward Cullen is the really hot guy I think we  
          | could become poly with lol but apparently I smell like shit to him so I don't think that's gonna work now **

Jacob paused. His phone felt heavy in his hand, his heartbeat loud in his ears. Was she being serious? He always thought of that poly joke as... well, just a joke. He had assumed Bella felt the same way. The idea of some guy being hot enough to make Bella consider opening their relationship made his blood boil. The fact they sat next to each other in bio made it even more so. He hated to admit it, but he was definitely jealous. That was an ugly side to him, and he wasn't exactly proud of it.

It wasn't as though he cared that she found another guy attractive, though. He found plenty of people attractive. He just didn't like the implication that she'd be willing to date someone else. His phone buzzed again, pulling him from his thoughts. He sighed before opening up the message. His eyes bulged out of his head at a picture of what was possibly the most beautiful white boy Jacob had ever seen in his entire life. A redhead with chalky pale skin and features of a goddamn angel. He was clearly unaware that the picture in question was being taken. 

           **| Jess took it, not me, but she sent it in our gc screaming about how he wants to have his babies**

Jacob had trouble reading the text because his eyes kept glancing back to the picture above it. The quality wasn't even that great. It was kind of blurry, and the lighting was weird due to the fluorescent bulbs. Still, Jacob thought he was comparable to whoever was currently on the cover of  _Vogue_. Suddenly the idea of a poly was much more tempting than before. He mulled it over for a moment before sending his next text. 

           **|** Listen Bells I'm gonna need you to tell Jess you called dibs and grab some of her perfume because we are dating that man

 

.•° ✿ °•.

 

When the two of them met up the following weekend, they went shopping around Port Angeles for some perfume that Bella wouldn't have to steal off Jess. Her hair was tied up in a messy, high ponytail which allowed her to have more space to spray perfumes (despite not being able to accurately smell them). They were currently in the nearest Pink to check out their seasonal scents that Bella seemed to love, even if she said she didn't. Jacob was leaned against the wall as she went through each one, spritzing the little white cards to try them out before spraying spots on her arms. 

"He hasn't been in at all? Like, not even for half a day?" 

She shook her head, reading the label on the back of a dark pink bottle. "He was there that first day, freaked the fuck out when I showed up, then hasn't been in since. What if he left?" She looked up at him and he could see the worry in her eyes. 

"He couldn't have left. There is only my school left in the area and no way he was getting in on that one."

"Maybe he went back to wherever they moved from, you know? Maybe they had family there. All I'm saying is that he certain did  _not_ like me. I mean, at all." 

Slipping his arms around her waist, he turned her to face him and smiled. Leaning down so that his face was pressed into her hair, he breathed in deep and turned to rest his cheek there. 

"Smells amazing to me. Maybe he just doesn't like strawberries. Maybe you should switch to the pomegranate one instead. I liked that one, too."

Bella laughed and twisted around so her back was pressed to his front. Setting the bottle back down, she grabbed a different one called 'Beach Flower' that has a subtle scent that was sweet and fresh. He quite liked it. There was no way Edward wouldn't. But then again, for some reason, he didn't like her shampoo. They will probably have to work on that name too. 

"Also, his name. Who is named 'Edward' in the twenty-first century?" he joked, letting go of her to grab a bottle that shimmered when he moved it. "We should call him Eddie. It's better. Cuter."

Taking the bottle from his hand, she set it back on the shelf and grabbed the pink bottle and 'Beach Flower', pausing only for a moment before starting towards the registers. One hand held the bottles and the other pulled Jake along. She rolled her eyes and said, "This is coming from the same guy who immediately told me to change perfumes the second he saw  _Eddie_ 's face."

Jacob held up his empty hand in the air in defense. "Excuse me if I have never seen a more beautiful man on the planet. With cheekbones like that, I'd do anything."

She laughed and gave him a look that told him that she agreed. Once they had paid for everything, they left to go to get something to eat before heading home. Bella drove since Jacob didn't have his license - the thought made him very bitter - but he didn't mind since he liked to watch her drive. The way she held the steering wheel of her truck, the curve in her brow when she pumped the clutch to get the engine to turn over. Each movement was beautiful. It was even more beautiful when he would kiss her neck and she would push him off with a laugh.

When she pulled up to his house, he didn't want to get out. He scooted across the cab so he could throw an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, dropping her head onto his own shoulder. 

"It will be fine. If not, I will show up to your school and speak to him myself."

"No, no, Jake, I'll be okay. He can't be gone forever, right?" 

He kissed her head. "Right. It'll be fine. And, if he doesn't like the idea of all three of us, that will be fine too."

"Yeah," she sighed, "but damn if he isn't pretty."

"You're telling me," he replied. With one last kiss, he jumped out of the cab and headed inside. 

 

.•° ✿ °•.

 

When Edward finally showed up a week after he left, Bella made sure that she was using the new perfume that Jacob said he liked and her new shampoo. She had double-checked when she saw him in the cafeteria that she smelled okay and triple-checked when she walked through the door to see him sitting there at the table. He looked like he was in a better mood. His posture didn't seem as rigid as it had been. He was still on edge but more relaxed. It was almost as if he was trying to play nice. 

When she took her seat, he scooted to the edge of his own. It made her wonder if the perfume and shampoo change didn't work. Trying to be discreet, she peeked at him to look a bit more when she saw he was looking right back. Her head snapped down to look at her Biology textbook to make it seem as if she wasn't just staring at him. Her cheeks felt warm because a man with the features much like an angel looked at her too. 

Beside her, it sounded as if Edward cleared his throat, drawing her attention to him. He gave her a small smile when she finally turned towards him. 

"Hello," he said, his voice soft and deep like velvet. It was a moment before he continued, as if to give her time to back out. "My name is Edward Cullen. I didn't have the chance to introduce myself last week. You must be Bella Swan."

It took a moment for the words to process in her mind. His voice was so nice to listen to. She could listen to it all day. It wasn't as husky and rough as Jake's was but still very pleasant. Looking at him, she knew she would love to just sit there in his arms and have him talk. Her eyes flickered down to said arms, which were pale but clearly had some muscle behind it. Judging from the way his fist was clenched, forcing the veins beneath to raise, he definitely had strength behind long, thin fingers and a lithe body. By no means was he as thin as the girl with the pixie cut Bella has seen dancing around the hallways. She never walked; there was no way that was walking with how graceful she seemed to float across the floor. 

"How do you know my name?" Bella finally managed to ask. It almost slipped her mind while she was admiring him that he knew her name.

His eyebrows came together slightly as if he hadn't expected the conversation to go in that direction. However, he didn't let the silence linger long. "When Mr. Banner placed me, he told me you would be my seat partner."

"Oh! Oh, okay, that makes sense," she replied, leaning back in her seat in an attempt to do something. Just then, she remembered what she and Jacob were talking about. "So, do people call you Edward or do you have a nickname?"

"Uh," he stuttered, caught off guard. His head tilted to the side slightly in confusion. "No. No, most of the time they call me Edward."

She smiled, settling on resting her forearms against the table. "How about Eddie? Teddy?"

"I guess I never really thought about it."

"Well?" she said, propping her head up on her hand. Edward's eyes flickered to the bracelet that hung from her wrist, a silver chain with a wood-carved miniature of a wolf. "What do you want your nickname to be? What jumps out at you? Does your family call you anything?"

He shook his head. "They normally just call me by my name."

She frowned for a moment. Right as she opened her mouth to continue to speak, Mr. Banner started to teach. She sat back up in her seat and tried to pay attention. Mr. Banner wasn't the best teacher, in her opinion, but he did a good enough job that she felt like she was learning something. Slides and microscopes were passed around so they could do an onion root experiment. When they got their slides, Bella slipped one into the microscope and peered into the eye piece. She spoke her guess - "Prophase." - and began to slide towards Edward. He just happened to reach for it at the same time, causing their fingers to brush. 

Almost immediately, Bella jerked her hand back. The action was more out of shock than disgust. His hand was ice cold, like she was just dropped her hand in an ice bucket. She turned to look at him with wide eyes. He immediately stiffened and avoided looking directly at her. She muttered an apology, clearly aware of his sudden shift in mood. It was then that she noticed the change in eye color. When he had first glared at her, his eyes were pitch black. It was like staring into the sky that time her and Jake went to Portland last summer. Now they were a liquid honey color, a warm gold that she would have swam in if she could. 

"Hey, do you wear glasses?"

The question made him confused. "No, I don't."

"I was just wondering 'cause it looks like you are wearing contacts."

He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw. The words he spoke came out forced and even. "No. I'm not. I  _don't_. It's the fluorenscence."

The, as if he compelled it, the bell rang and he jumped from his seat and was out the door before she could even process that he had gotten up. She wondered if she had said something wrong or offended him. She gathered her books in her arms, clutching them close to her chest. Slipping her phone out of her pocket, Bella texted Jacob with the latest update to their pursuit of Edward. 

           **| So uh I think I offended Eddie**

**| I accidentally touched his hand and he freaked out, then I asked him about his eye color. Why do I talk too much?**

Her last class was gym so she knew that if she didn't get a reply during the walk there, she would have to wait until class was over and the idea of waiting to vent made her skin itch. She needed to talk to him to figure out where she went wrong, what she can do to prevent it next time. If there was a next time. The reaction she had gotten made her even more curious but she knew that if she didn't watch what she said it might ruin their chances. 

Putting her things into her gym locker, she knew Jacob was probably still in class so she put her phone with her things and continued to her least favorite class. 

 

By the time she got back to her phone, Bella was thoroughly irritated with the whole concept of gym. She had almost forgotten that she had texted Jacob at all until she checked her phone while walking towards the student parking lot. 

           **|** I'm sure everything is fine, Bells 

           **|** besides you just asked him a simple question there's nothing wrong with that, especially since yknow he's a new kid   
           **|** and there is nothing wrong with trying to get to know someone 

           **|** listen i take my test in a few days and i'll drive up there to talk to him myself

Sighing, she threw her bag onto the seat next to her and leaned against the steering wheel with her arms. There was a line to get out of the parking lot so she decided she could waste a little time. 

           **| Hey can I call you? I dont wanna text lol but not if you're still in class**

           **|** give me a couple minutes and i'll call you

Bella smiled and sat back. If there was anyone on this planet she could talk to, it was him. They grew up together. He knew her like the back of his hand - irritating at times, if she had to admit. He made her feel better when she was down and vice versa. He could be her voice of reason at times, but really she was his. She talked him down when he was two seconds from buying a couple of broken down motorcycles. Of course, she couldn't do it without the promise to reconsider in a year or two. It definitely helped that he was all for Edward as well. He could give her ideas on how to deal with this whole flirting situation. If it could really be called that. Jake has tried on occasion to flirt but Bella just ends up laughing at him. 

About five minutes later, her phone rang with Jake's name at the top. She quickly answered, tucked the phone between her cheek and shoulder, and proceeded to back out of her parking spot. 

"Hey, Jake," she answered, checking both ways before pulling into the street. 

"Hey, Bells," came his husky voice on the other end. She smiled at the sound of it. "So spill. What did Mr. Pretty-Face done now?"

"He actually spoke to me today. A complete one-eighty from last week where it looked like he wanted to kill me or something. I thought I was just asking him normal questions, y'know. I asked if he had a nickname since we were talking about Eddie, and he said he didn't have one so I said, 'Well, what does your family call you? What would you want your nickname to be?' And he said that they just called him by his name. That, of course, doesn't help our dilemma. And I noticed something different about him. Last week his eyes were super dark, almost black. When I saw him today, they were a super warm brown. They looked like the honey Billy likes to put in his tea."

"His eye color changed?"

"That's what it looked like. So I had asked him if he wore contacts, which is the logical thing to assume when something like this happens, and he got super stiff and angry."

Jacob hummed, a sound he always made when he was thinking. "He seems very flighty. Maybe back off for a bit? Let him ask questions?"

"Yeah, you're probably right. I was probably coming on a little strong."

She pulled into the driveway, the space empty since Charlie was at the station. Killing the engine, she slouched in the seat and took the phone in her hand. There was a faint bell ringing in the background on Jacob's end. 

"Are you in between classes right now?" she said, a slight hint of disapproval in her voice. 

"No, no, don't worry, Bells. That was the bell for our last period and you know that I get that one off. Perks of being an Elder's son," he joked. She could hear him closing a locker. "Do you wanna get dinner tonight?"

"Sure, did you want me to pick you up?" she asked, grabbing her bag and hopping out of her truck. She liked the little drop she got from the cab to the ground - despite knowing that there is a high chance she will just wipe out. 

"Fine by me. I'll just be at home in the meantime, studying and doing things you would be proud of."

"Really?" she said skeptically. "You? Studying?"

"Hey! I am a good student," Jacob said a bit defensively but laughing all the same. 

Bella laughed. "Yeah, when I make sure you're doing what you're supposed to."

"Such a good tutor," he replied, clearly wagging his eyebrows on the other side. 

Rolling her eyes, she told him she would pick him up in a couple hours and went inside. She went to the kitchen, where she set her bag on the table and went to the fridge to find something to snack on. The bright yellow cabinets made it seem like there was more light in the room than there actually were. They reminded her of those weekends where her mother would fly her down to whatever city she was staying in at the time, almost always somewhere along of the southern border. Bella hadn't gotten the courage to ask Charlie if she could repaint them to a different color,  _any_ color except bright yellow. 

It wasn't until she stuck a plate of the previous night's macaroni and cheese into the microwave that she allowed herself to think about Edward. From the way his hair was disheveled to the posture he held, his long, slim fingers to the perfect proportions and symmetry of his face, she couldn't bring herself to give up. She was going to try until he either sent her away or joined her - and, in turn, Jacob. There was no way she would leave Jake. If there was one thing she was sure about, it was that she loved him completely. However, at the same time, she believed that Edward could be in there too. She could love him just as much as Jacob. Equals. 

She tried her best to get her homework done. It was mainly a mindless task, simply copying down titles and dates of laws for Government. Once that was finished and her dishes were washed, there was still about an hour before she needed to go and pick up Jacob. Taking the stairs two at a time, she went up to her room to look for something to wear. Granted, she didn't have the most expensive taste in clothes nor the greatest fashion sense outside of plaid, jeans and the occasional band tee. There was a white eyelet lace top that Renee had gotten her a couple of summers ago that she thought would be a good choice for dinner. It was slightly chilly but nothing bad enough to warrant her parka. Instead, she made sure to grab a hoodie to throw on if it got too cold. 

Going into the bathroom, she looked in the mirror as she tied her hair in a pleat down her back. She looked at her reflection and bit her lip. She wasn't extraordinary but she could see good things in herself. Jacob made sure of that. Her fingers traced her lips lightly, trying to decide if she should invest in some actual lipstick. Colored lip balm, as Jake liked to remind her, was no lipstick. In turn, she would tell him that if he liked lipstick so bad he could wear it himself. Bella smiled at the memory of the following day where she met up with her dark blue lipstick-clad boyfriend. 

"What color would it be though?" she wondered aloud. She was so pale so, if she were to don lipstick, she would have to choose a color wisely. Not too dark, but not too light at the same time. 

She chose a red-tinted lip gloss for dinner after what seemed like an hour of studying her reflection. Giving herself one last once-over, she threw on her hoodie and headed out the door. 

The drive to La Push went by quickly, the music blaring from the radio. The sky was grey but a lighter shade that meant there wouldn't be a whole ton of rain that night. When she pulled up to the Black home, Jacob ran outside before she could even come to a complete stop. He jumped into the cab and leaned over to place a kiss on her cheek. 

"You look beautiful," he said with a smile. "As always."

Bella rolled her eyes and pulled out to head back towards town. Their hands were joined and rested on Jacob's leg as he sat right next to her. His other hand fiddled with the radio, trying to find a station he liked. 

"So what brought on the lip gloss?" he asked, finally giving up on the radio to turn towards her.

She shrugged. "Thought I might try something new."

He swiped at some of it with his thumb and smeared it between his fingers. He gave a little hum then rubbed his hand on his jeans. As they drove, Jacob told her about his day, about the homework he swore he had done. Seth was sad about not getting on the lacrosse team but not too upset since he was told he could try out again next year. Embry and Quil have a bet to see who could get a date to prom first, which made Bella laugh. 

"Speaking of which, do you have a date to prom?"

"Jake," Bella chuckled, "you know I'm taking you."

"Are you?" he replied with his signature eyebrow quirk. "I never asked you, and you never asked me. Is this you asking?"

He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it, smiling that shit-eating grin. Bella pulled her hand out and shoved him playfully. Jacob barked out a laugh and fell into the passenger seat. When he finally righted himself, breathless from his mirth, he thew his arm around her shoulders with his fingers playing with the end of her braid. They stayed like that for the last small leg of their drive. 

The restaurant, The Lodge, was one of Bella and Charlie's favorites. He had been taking her there since she was a kid, telling her all about his childhood and memories he had there. As she got older and her personality became much like his, they would just sit together and enjoy each other's company, sometimes making small talk about their days at work and school and occasionally teasing one another. Everyone there knew her, down to her order (a veggie burger with no tomatoes, no onions, ketchup and mustard on the side, fries on weekdays and salads on weekends with a Dr Pepper). This meant that when her and Jacob walked in everyone smiled and greeted them. They took a seat in a booth in the corner of the restaurant where they could talk without too much noise interference. 

"So, the Eddie situation," Bella started, propping her head up on her hand. "What are we gonna do?"

"Well, he will probably be in class. He won't be able to miss that many more days without it affecting his grades," Jacob replied, taking a sip of his Coke. "Should he be there, you can apologize for offending him, say you were just trying to get to know him more. Y'know, all that good stuff."

She grabbed the paper straw cover and twisted and rolled it between her fingers. Bits were torn off and collected into a tiny pile in the center of the table. Once the first straw cover was thoroughly cleaned up, she reached over to snatch Jacob's. He caught her hand and held it in his underneath the table. He smiled and leaned back in his chair. The waitress brought their food over and asked if they needed anything else before taking Bella's glass to give her a refill. They ate in silence for a little while, enjoying each other's company for the moment. Once they have gotten into the rhythm of eating, Bella wiped her fingers off on a napkin before looking over at her boyfriend. 

"Do you think he will be open to the idea of all three of us?" she questioned quietly. "Take us seriously instead of as some couple who wants to make their fantasy come true."

Jacob took her face in his hands. Bella squirmed until she realized he had kept his dirty fingers away and held her with his clean ones. 

"Bells, it will be okay. Regardless of what happens with Edmund, we will still be here, together; the world will turn; your dad will still love double cheeseburgers with extra pickles," he said, causing her to laugh. "And if he is okay with this, we will figure it out along the way. Nothing bad will happen with just testing the waters."

Cupping Jacob's hand with her own, she sighed and smiled softly at him. "Why are you so damn right all the time?"

He leaned back once more, putting his hands behind his head. "Maybe it's because I'm such a genius." 

"Okay, Einstein, don't go and get a big head over it."

He laughed and stole a fry off of her plate. After a bit more teasing, they finished dinner, paid and she dropped Jacob off at his home. He kissed her before he got out, long and slow. Her cheeks were thoroughly tinged pink by the time he closed the house door behind him.  She bit her lip and looked out across the field behind Billy and Jake's house. Maybe there is a chance for them. For all three of them. 

 

.•° ✿ °•.

 

The following day when Bella walked into Biology, Edward was sitting there in his seat, looking as painstakingly beautiful as always. Bella took her seat and readied herself for any blow-back from yesterday. She closed her eyes, took a deep breathe, and turned to him. What she wasn't prepared for was him looking back at her, small smile on his lips. All the words she had prepared to say before she walked into the room were gone, and all she could focus on was him. 

"I would like to apologize once again," he said, his small smile turning apologetic.

"No, it's me who should apologize," she replied, looking down at her hands. "I came on really strong yesterday. I shouldn't have asked all those questions. I'm sorry."

"I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. It was incredibly rude of me." His choice of words, the arrangement of them, made her tilt her head slightly. Looking back up, there was a sadness in those dark gold eyes. "It's just. . . We can't be friends."

And suddenly everything stops. Like a wire short-circuited in her head, everything stopped. He didn't want to be friends? She asked a couple of questions and, because of that, they couldn't be friends? That completely eliminated any possible continuation, any moving further. They couldn't be friends. It felt as if she got slapped. Her back stiffened and she sniffled. Not even Mr. Banner's teaching could distract her from what just happened. 

"We can't be friends," she repeated in a cold and distant voice. 

"Please understand. I want nothing more, but it's not a good idea for you to be around me." He looked down at his hands. "I'm not good for you."

She slammed her book closed and readjusted herself in her seat, pushing her things to the edge of the table. She let her hair fall over the side that he was on to block off whatever sight she could have of him.

"I don't think you are in any fucking position to decide what is and what isn't good for me."

"Bella, I'm sorry -"

She turned and gave him the best glare that she could, trying not to let the angry tears she could feel welling up fall. His mouth snapped shut. Edward looked genuinely remorseful but she didn't care. He was not about to go and tell her that he wasn't good for her when neither of them knew anything about each other. He just moved there, for Christ's sake. She hoped they could at least be friends, if nothing else worked out. That's all she wanted. He didn't have to say all of that. The second that bell rang she gathered her things into her arms and stood up from her chair, leaving the room as fast as she could without falling down. Edward, of course, seemed to be able to go at any speed because he was suddenly there right by her side the second she was out of the door. 

"Bella, please."

She turned and shoved his shoulder as hard as she could. She might as well have poked him with her finger because he didn't budge an inch. His body was as hard as marble and cold like his hand has been that day. There was something weird about him but it didn't matter at the moment. Her wrist twinged with pain. Hissing, she turned and continued walking towards P.E. 

"I'm sorry, truly," he said again, his voice softer this time. "I wish I could explain to you why you need to believe me, but I can't."

"I don't care why you think you aren't 'good for me'," she snapped, curling her fingers in air quotes, "but I think that it is my decision and mine only. This is the twenty-first century. Get with the program, Edward. Just - if you are gonna leave me alone for my own good, just do it already. I hate games."

She shoved the doors to the gym open and stormed towards the locker rooms. Edward didn't follow her inside. Throughout class, she felt the irritation linger. Her hands shook by her sides, and any time she was forced to participate in class it never ended well for anyone around her. More than usual. Jessica seemed to notice, which made Bella feel bad since she never wanted to take her anger out on anyone or burden them with her problems. When class ended and they began heading back to their respective locker rooms, Jessica caught up to her and hooked their arms together. 

"So, y'know how prom is coming up soon? Wanna come with me and Angela to look for dresses?" she asked, giving her a smile. "You're coming too, right? You have to come! It won't be the same without you there."

"Yeah, of course." Just the thought of it made her wince. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Are you taking Jake?" Jessica giggled. "He hasn't been around in a while."

"He is insisting I go. Any chance to wear a tux."

Jessica grinned and began telling her about how Mike had officially asked her in this huge gesture with a sign, flowers and balloons. Even though they were going out, Jessica wanted that prom-posal moment. It was a cute idea but, had Jacob done something like that to her, Bella would have been mortified. Those types of things drew way too much attention to her that she didn't need. 

After they have changed, Jessica told Bella that she would pick her up in thirty minutes so that Bella could drop off her truck and Jessica could change. Bella sent a message to Charlie to let him know that she would be going to Port Angeles with her friends so that he didn't worry and knew to make something for himself for dinner. Once she got home, she changed out of her jeans and into a pair of leggings, throwing a flannel over her shirt with the knowledge that it would cool down as it got darker. She went into the bathroom to fix her hair, throwing it up into a messy ponytail. By the time she deemed herself good enough to head out, Jessica texted her that she was outside. Bella grabbed her jacket and ran out the door. 

 

They got to Port Angeles and went to the first dress shop on Jess and Angela's list. While they bee-lined over to one of the racks, grabbing and comparing, Bella walked over to a separate rack and began shuffling through. She wasn't much of a dress-wearing kind of person so this whole thing was a little out of her comfort zone. There was a difference between admiring runway models and their dresses and actually wanting to wear it. She told Jacob that she was going out and would need his opinion on any of the options she considered. A few were thrown over her arm when she headed into the fitting room. Since she wasn't the tallest, she aimed for the longer dresses so that she could try and give off the appearance of being tall. Nothing over the top; that would bring too much attention. The [first](https://www.lulus.com/products/air-of-romance-forest-green-maxi-dress/521192.html) was a dark green color that fell loosely once it hit her hips with her upper back exposed. She snapped a couple of pictures, sent them to Jacob, then switched into the next. This [one](https://www.lulus.com/products/make-me-move-burgundy-maxi-dress/360492.html) was burgundy and had a cold shoulder. While the first covered her chest completely, this one showed it, giving a bit more skin that she would normally allow. A few more pictures and on to the next. The last [dress](https://www.lulus.com/products/appetite-for-seduction-black-lace-long-sleeve-dress/575882.html) went just above her knee with the top layer black lace. She felt this one suited her more, despite the fact it showed off more of her legs. Looking down at them, she made a mental note to shave again before wearing it. She took the last couple of pictures before stepping out. 

Jessica and Angela were right near the rooms, looking through the rack Bella had gotten her dresses from. When she stepped out, she shyly showed it off and blushed at their squeals of joy. 

"Jacob won't be able to keep his hands off you!" Angela giggled. Her eyes ran up and down Bella quickly. "You look incredible."

"You should totally get that one!" Jessica agreed. 

"You think so?" Bella asked, looking down at said dress. She ran her hands down her sides, which weren't as curvy as her friends but she didn't mind too much, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It is really nice."

Jess put her hands on Bella's shoulders and smiled. "You look amazing, Bella. Trust me, you are gonna steal the show."

Bella blushed then nodded. She picked at her nail to avoid looking at her. Jess kissed her cheek before pushing her back into the fitting room, telling to get changed and they would pick out the perfect shoes. Bella had the scary thought that she was not leaving without a pair of heels she knew she would not be able to properly walk in. She could already see the look on Jacob's face if she showed up in heels. Not once in their years of friendship and dating had she worn heels. Her worst nightmare was to completely wipe out in such a large group of people. 

Putting her thoughts aside, she got back into her clothes and took her dress before joining her friends. As they looked through the boxes of shoes, she texted Jacob, who finally got back to answering her. 

           **|** I finally picked out a dress can you believe it?

           **| which one is it? is it the red one? i really like the red one  
**

**|** Do you like it as a dress or do you like it because you can see my tits?

           **| that is a trick question and i refuse to answer  
          ** **| anyway can i ask you something?**

 **|** depends on what it is last time you asked me that dad found out about   
           **|** the homecoming incident

Just the thought of it made her cheeks burn even more. It was last year after Jacob's homecoming where they thought they had the house to themselves; their dad's had gone on a fishing trip and weren't home by the time the teens did. They both went in suits, something Jacob was absolutely thrilled about. It was during the time when Bella was just coming out of the 'I will not wear a single skirt in my life' phase. When they had gotten home and found that no one was there, they slipped away to his little bedroom where watching TV had shifted into making out and slight grinding. They were in no way indecent, but that didn't mean they didn't jump apart to opposite sides of the bed when Billy came over and knocked on the door.

           **| hey he was gonna find out eventually**  
        **|** **plus we didn't even do anything it was all over the clothes**  
**| but i wanted to ask you if i could borrow your truck tomorrow**

 **|** i don't know if i trust you with my baby

She could practically see him pouting as if he were right in front of her. 

           **| come on its in safe hands! i just got my license**

She smiled wide, feeling pride in his achievement. While she was still a little worried about her truck, it seemed like a reward for him to pick her up from school like he had been dreaming about doing since they were kids. The girls had finally found shoes, along with some shoes for Bella as well, and headed to the check-out. She quickly told Jacob that he could since he got his license and tucked her phone back into her pocket. They all paid for their things and went to Jessica's car and placed their things in the trunk. 

"I want to look at that new little boutique and see if I can find some earrings to go with my dress," Angela said, hugging her jacket tighter around her middle. 

"And I need something like a necklace or maybe something for my hair," agreed Jessica.

Picking at her nail again, Bella said, "You guys mind if I go and look at a book store? I'm not much of a jewelry person."

"Do you want us to come with you?"

She smiled. "No, it's okay. I'll meet you guys at the restaurant, okay?"

They nodded and went on their way, glancing back a couple of times. She waved at them before going in the opposite direction. She looked at her phone as she went followed the directions for the different book stores. The first one was small with a dream catcher in the window but didn't pique her interest, so she continued on her way to the next result. She looked up every once in a while to check the street signs until her data seemingly stopped working. She tried everything she could from restarting her phone to turning her data on and off, but nothing seemed to work. Finally giving up, she looked around her to try and get a sense of her surroundings. The address Google gave her must have been a past address because she was in the middle of an industrial area with nothing even close to a book store nearby. 

As she turned a corner in her attempt to find her way back, she could see a group of four or five men a couple blocks down from her. She really hoped they didn't see her as she quickly made her way in the opposite direction. One look over her shoulder told her they did see her and they were in pursuit, getting closer each second. She turned another corner onto to find a couple more men headed for her. Her pace quickened in any attempt to put distance between both groups of men. There was no longer pepper spray on her keys as it had expired a month or two ago and she just hadn't gotten around to replacing it. With that out of the picture, Bella tried to think of all the self-defense moves they taught one year in P.E. 

"Hey, pretty lady," called out one of the men, much closer than she had thought. "Where ya goin' this late?"

"You lost?" shouted another one, a joking tone adding salt to the wound. 

She tried to go faster but one of them must have broken off and cut her off, causing her to stumble back. Her fingers itched to reach for her phone, but she feared what might happen if she pulled it out in front of them. Her heart was beating in her ears. She rubbed her hands on her jeans to try and dry them in case she needed to grab at them. They came closer and closer until they surrounded her completely. Within seconds they were pushing her around, tossing her between them. She stumbled again and almost fell to the ground. 

There was a sudden roaring and lights washed over them. She could barely hear it over her heart. A shiny silver car stopped inches away from the group who spread out to expose her to the car as well. The window was rolled down so the driver could hiss at her.

"Get in."

Almost on instinct, she ran and got into the car, slamming the door behind her. The tires squealed as he sped away, pale hands gripping the wheel. Turning just slightly, she allowed herself to look at her savior. And when she did her eyes met those of an angry Edward Cullen.

 

.•° ✿ °•.


End file.
